“I salute this young soldier as the symbol of honour and bravery, and wish the Middle East had many like him as a panacea for long-existing problems,” al-Jazeera reported one woman from Tehran tweeting.

While the incident was life changing (and extremely painful) Bakhtar told al-Jazeera he would do it again. “I love animals. I love nature,” he said.

After his release last week, Bakhtar was inundated with flowers, wreaths and banners stating “Welcome back, brave soldier” and “messenger of peace” in his hometown.

Andrea Huspeni is the founder and CEO of This Dog's Life. Her mission it to help dogs live a happier, healthier and longer life. When she isn't working, she spends time with her two dogs, Lola and Milo. She resides in Brooklyn, NY.